"All About The Album - 15 Questions" - a brand new section at the RockUnited site where a recording artist with an recently released CD is confronted with 'album'  questions (15 of them, duh!). If you'd like to have your material up here, email: urban "at" rockunited.com (simply replace "at" with your standard @ )

TEODOR TUFF: "Soliloquy"

Not related to the glam band Tuff, this band comes from Norway and have very little to do with glam. Their music is melodic metal with eccentric, exotic influences, and they really do have a sound of their own. Let's give them a chance to tell us all about their new album... Christer Harøy, take it away.

How has the reaction to your latest CD been?

So far so good. The response has been very good overall I think, and we hit the charts in Norway as well, so we must have done something right.

How long did this CD take to make from start to finish, recording-wise?

The recording of this cd was done in several sessions, so from we started to record guitars, till the album was done it took like 5 months. We also recorded the guitars in sessions as well, so the guitars was done from February till April. In April we recorded the drums and bass. In May the vocals was recorded, and the mix and master of the album was done in June. I think it’s a good way to record an album, since you get time to listen carefully to the takes, and change them if we want.

What kind of 'sound', production wise, did you have in the back of your mind, prior to entering the studio?

We really wanted a heavier sound on this album; a more metal sound. But still not make it sound to clinical and static. Just wanted to keep the live-feel to it. A mix of Pantera meets the 70’s hehehehehe. With loads of guitars and a massive overall production. And we knew we would get a great mix with Jacob Hansen.

What kind of input did the producer have during the process?

We produced the album ourselves, but had som really good and skilled help in recording the vocals in Thomas Henriksen. He arranged some of the background vocals absolutely fantastic. And of course Jacob had a great added a great touch to it with his amazing mix.

And are you pleased with the final outcome? (sound - production wise)

Oh, yes. I think we got just what we wanted. I’m a big fan of Jacob’s work, and the band’s common understanding of how we wanted to sound, was really aligned with Jacob’s approach to the mix and the master of the album.

Did the producer (you) use any (weird) experimental miking and/or recording techniques?

The experimental department was run by Knut and Helge Flatgaard, in the making of the loops and sound effects. Knut can tell you more about it.

Knut: We used reversal techniques on Mountain Rose, before the guitar solo. Actually it is a 70’s Norwegian pop song, which is really nutty, and it sounds like an imam calling for prayers. Try to reverse it! On The Last Supper we have included a few beats from “Bist du bei mir” – also before the guitar solo. A fitting choice given the the topic addressed in the song .In order for the sample to fit the key of the song we had to retune the sample…Cool.

How did you go on about capturing your 'live sound' in the studio, or perhaps you didn't?

Since we recorded in sessions, we didn’t record anything live, but to keep the live-feel to it, we tried to as little “cut and paste” as possible. I think that adds a live sound to it..

Please inform us about your favourite songs and lyrical highlights and why?

The favourite track of the album seems to vary, and that’s a good thing I guess. Lately it has been “Deng’s Dictum”. Lyrically, I’m very “taken” by Knut’s lyrics. He writes on heavy issues and themes, in a very skilled way.

Any overall theme of mood that you're trying to capture while writing songs?

Not really, but we tend to write minor-based songs with heavy and dark riffs, and we try to make songs with a twist, since we’re influenced from so many different genres of music, and so many different bands..

Does your vision for coming up with music get affected at all by time?

I guess it does. Especially lyrically we write on themes both in a historical and current perspective..

Did the record company interfere with anything on your "sound" and songs?

Knut: No.

Are there any 'crazy' behind the scenes anecdotes from these sessions that you can share with us?

Hehehe……guess there are some stories, but not to share..

How would you describe the sound of your new CD to any potential new fan? 

I believe the new album will appeal more to the metal-audience than the first album. But still it got a Teodor Tuff feel to it, so it is also an album that will be appealing to the fans of the first album. So it might hit a broader audience, I think.

Who are your influences and heroes? (music-wise)

IThere are so many bands we are influenced by. Everything from Led Zeppelin to In Flames. We mix all our influences, and make them into our own mix. But I have to admit I’m really into a In Flames-period now. But I like everything. Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, I was really into thrash-metal, NWOBHM, but also bands like Kiss and Dio, and later bands like Pantera, Dream Theater and on, and on, and on ……..hehehe. I could write a novel on this.say some of my primary musical heros are Peter Gabriel, Mark Hollis, Keith Jarrett, Glenn Gould and Miles Davis. As far as influences go, I would say that several bands come to mind such as IQ, Anathema, Porcupine Tree, Marillion, Genesis, and Pink Floyd.

If there's anything you'd like to add, say, please do:

(Apparently we covered everything with the first 14 questions... - Ed.)

Interview concept by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom,
Photos from the band's promotional agency Gordeon Music.

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